Back to all films
Kali
A film by Kelly Bevan and Peter Spirer
In 1962, Joan Archibald embarked on a transformative journey, leaving behind her Long Island home and family to embrace a new identity as Kali on the West Coast. Amidst the vibrant scene of Malibu, she found herself mingling with luminaries like Richard Chamberlain before settling into a house once inhabited by Bobby Darin and Sandra Dee. Enrolling at the College of the Desert in Palm Springs, she delved into the art of photography. It was there, against the backdrop of Palm Springs’ desert landscape, that Kali’s creative vision flourished. She pioneered the term “Artography,” crafting haunting portraits and ethereal double-exposed landscapes using film developed in her spacious bathtub. Each piece was meticulously composed by hand utilizing multiple exposures and sandwiching of negatives and positives. She hand-colored each work using a variety of unconventional materials, including dyes, spray paint, and organic elements like dirt and bugs, all within the confines of her swimming pool.
Kali worked in a time when the art world was still dominated by male artists. Although a few pieces found their way into photo magazines, her art remained largely hidden from the public eye, shared only within a select circle. Kali eventually safeguarded her creations, locking them away in suitcases within a secluded shed, where they lay dormant for over four decades. As her daughter Susan Archibald was readying Kali’s homes for sale, she stumbled upon white Samsonite suitcases within locked hallway closets containing Kali’s forgotten works. Photographer Len Prince and Susan’s former partner received a call from her. He quickly surmised that this body of work represented a remarkable find. Among her artistic legacy lay volumes of journals teeming with photographs extracted from closed-circuit TV monitors, each meticulously annotated with diagrams, drawings, and cryptic notes. Delving deeper into her later body of work, it unveiled Kali’s conviction of otherworldly visita-
tions, driving her to document and decode these supposed encounters painstakingly.
Kali’s work belongs to the tradition of alternative photography at a time when documentary photography was dominant. She was a pioneer in the wave of alternative photography that emerged in the following decades. Her inventive process is characterized by layering multiple negatives to create a single image and creating color work from black and white negatives. Her trippy, painterly aesthetic, intense bursts of color, and visually morphing reality. evoke the cultural historic moments of their creation. From our current perspective, it is clear that the works transcend that moment and remain relevant to a contemporary audience.
The unearthing of Kali’s hidden trove captivated the art world. A limited edition four-volume set showcasing her artistry — written by acclaimed author Matt Tyrnauer and featuring essays, portraits, landscapes, Polaroids, and explorations of outer space — was met with resounding acclaim, published by powerHouse Books in the fall of 2021. The books and reviews of Kali’s artwork have received a myriad of articles in major publications such as Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. Links to articles are available upon request. Major exhibitions have been mounted in two important museums: The Columbus Museum of Art and the Palm Springs Art Museum.
This film will delve “deep” into Kali’s fascinating life story, offering insights into the enigmatic artist’s journey. It will seek to un- ravel the mystery behind Kali’s decision to produce her vibrant masterpieces behind closed doors, effectively shutting out the outside world. Through interviews, archival footage, and artistic analysis, the film will endeavor to understand the motivations and inspirations driving Kali’s intensely private creative process. Beyond mere biography, the film will also explore why this extraordinary mysterious body of work is more powerful today than ever and continues to resonate with contemporary art lovers.
